Case Study 1. Frances Rogers on The Experience of Whiplash Injury

Interview Schedules

Schedule for first interview with participants with whiplash

1. Can you tell me about the accident?
Yes continue
No. probe Is that because you are too upset?

2. When did you seek medical treatment?

3. Where did you go for treatment?

4. Why did you go for treatment?

5. How were you taken for treatment?

Section Two: Experience of Healthcare

1. Who did you see?

2. What treatment were you given?

3. What information were you given?

4. What advice were you given?

5. How do you feel about your healthcare experience?
Probe for effectiveness?
Helpfulness?
Appropriateness?

Section Three: Psychological experience

1. Has the accident affected your concentration in any way?
Probe for examples

2. Has your sleeping pattern changed?
If yes, in what way?
Why do you think that is?

3. How do you feel about the accident?
(Angry, guilty)

4. Does the injury cause you any pain?

5 Can you tell me about your pain?

6. How would you describe that pain?
On a scale of 1 - 10 where 1 is low and 10 is high how would you rate the strength of your pain?

7. What are you taking for your pain and how often?

8. What other methods / strategies do you use for managing your pain?

9. What do you feel is the best method for managing your pain?

Section Four: Social Situation

1. How does the injury affect your life at present?
(What can't you do now)
Daily activities
Leisure activities
Work activity (sick leave)
Any change in mood etc
Relationships
Probe for consequences

2. Has the accident affected your driving in any way?
Can you describe how it has changed?

3. Has the accident changed how you feel in the car?
In what way?
Why do you think that is?
Can you tell me how it is now?
What were you like before the accident?

4. Do you have any worries or anxieties about the accident?
Probe look for examples

5. Are you claiming compensation?
What are your reasons for this?

Section Five: Recovery

1. Would you describe yourself as recovered from your injuries?
If yes. Why is that? Then go to Q5
If no, Why is that? Then go to Q2

Schedule for second and final interviews with participants with whiplash

Interview Guide For Whiplash Injury Study (Patients)

Follow Up Interview Three Months & Twelve Months

A resume of previous responses will be made available prior to the interview

Section One: General update on situation

1. How are things since we last met?

2. Is there any change in your condition?
(If same or worse Q3)
If improvement ask in what way
If recovered ask when

3. Are you seeing anyone at present regarding your injury?
If yes Who?
If No why not?
Do you feel that you should?

4. Are you on any treatment at the moment?
If yes What treatment do you have now?
Who recommended

5. How do you feel about your healthcare experience now?

Section two: Psychological experience

1 Is your concentration still affected in any way?
If Yes ask How

2. Has your sleeping pattern changed?
If Yes ask How

3. How do you feel about the accident now?

4. Do you still have any pain from your injury?
If No go to question 1 social situation

5. Can you tell me about your pain?

6. How would you describe that pain
On a scale of 1-10 rate the severity

7. What are you taking for your pain relief?
Who do you see for your pain?

8. What other methods / strategies do you use for managing your pain?

9. What do you feel is the best method for managing your pain?

Section Three: Social Situation

1 How does the injury affect your life at present?
Daily Activities
Leisure activities
Work activity
Moods
Relationships

2. Has the accident affected your driving in any way?
Can you describe how it has changed?

3. Has the accident changed how you feel in the car?
If No got to Q5
In what way?
Why do you think that is?
Can you tell me how it is now?

4. What were you like before the accident?

5. Compensation
Review situation
Ask about the experience and how it makes them feel

Section Five: Recovery

1. Would you describe yourself as recovered from your injuries?
If yes. Why is that? Then go to Q5
If no. Why is, that? Then go to Q2

2. How are you managing with your injury?

3. What do you do to make it easier for yourself?

4. What do you think would help you now?

5. On the whole what do you think has been the impact of your injury for yourself and your family

Schedule for telephone interview with participants with whiplash

Telephone Interview Six Months

1 Has there been any change in your condition since we last met?
If yes what

2. At your last interview you were still experiencing pain

Do you still have pain?
Rate the pain scale 1 - 10

If no pain at last interview ask if that is still the case

3. Are you still having treatment or have you started any treatment?

4. Ask about sleeping pattern

5. Are you back at work or doing usual activities?

6. Ask about Driving?
How do you feel about driving now?

7. Can you tell me what the single most troublesome aspect of your injury is for you at present

Schedule for interview with Medics

Interview Guide For Whiplash Injury Study Doctors

1. Can you tell me what whiplash injury means for you?

2. Can you tell me about your experience of treating whiplash injuries?

3. Can you tell me if you have had experience of treating whiplash injuries on a follow up basis?

4. Can you tell me about a patient that didn't recover as quickly as you would have expected it to? And why you think that happened? If no can you tell me why a whiplash injury might take longer to recover than you would expect it to?